I first knew about this tart from KFC. One time, I went to our favorite KFC spot in HCMC when they were promoting these. They asked if I wanted to try. It looked so irresistible, so why not? Since then, I have been in love with this pastry. But it?s so expensive buying them from the shops, comparing to its easy-to-find ingredients and easy-to-make nature; especially now I are studying in Finland. I decide to make them myself.

I don?t want to spare too many whites and Bear likes light taste. If you like more genuine taste, meaning richer, closer to cr?me br?l?e-like taste, feel very free to change this into 6 egg yolks. And, DO NOT throw the egg whites away! They can be used in further baking: like meringue tart, Pavlova, or macarons, or tuiles, or langue de chat cookies.

Instructions

Step 1: My puff pastry is already cut into rectangles like this, 125g per, so I use 4. Roll them in to tight cylinders. Stick layers of dough up at the end of the roll using a bit of water.

Step 2: Cut each cylinder into 3 smaller ones. 3 multiplies by 4 is 12, that?s how I divide mine. If yours comes in bigger or smaller size, divide them accordingly to have 12 even balls of puff pastry.

Step 3: Dip every ball into a dish of flour generously. Then roll them out into a thin round sheet with the cycle side facing up.

Try one of them into your mini tart pan and adjust the side so that there is a bit of puff pastry lean over the ring of your pan. Wonder why? Next step, please.

Step 4: Prepare your tart pans by grease the with melted butter, or put some cupcake paper cups in, like me. This is very important because if you don?t, the tart will stick heavily to your pan. Then adjust all the crust into your tart pan, in my case, cupcake pan.

The reason why I ask you to make the size of the crust a bit bigger because the puff pastry has its nature to shrink back a bit while being baked. So this extra step is to make sure that your crust is at best shape after baked. Furthermore, this makes my tarts look like blooming tulips when finish, very cute, so I recommend it.

Step 5: Preheat your oven to 200 degree Celsius. Prepare a rack on the last level.

It?s time to make the custard filling.

Step 6: Separate your eggs. Put eggs and yolks into one bowl with all the sugar. Beat them lightly with your whisk until there is no string of egg white left.

Step 7: Add heavy whipping cream and milk into the egg mixture above, whisk until everything combined. Add the vanilla extract. And you are done.

Originally, the filling must be made by double boiling method, meaning the egg mixture must be cooked on a heatproof bowl that stay on top of a boiling pan, until it thicken up. Then let cool to room temperature for about almost 1 hour. I decide to go shortcut on this since Bear was OK with that the last time and I do not wish to prolong my baking time further. It totally depends on you to choice how you want to do in this situation.

Step 7: Pour the filling into the prepared tart pans, through a strainer.

Remember; do not fill up the cup. Only fill up to 2/3 of it, please. Because the egg filling will expand quite a lot during baking, so if you fill it up fully, there is a high chance that your filling is gonna erupt. And that?s a hell lot of oven cleaning, you don?t even want to imagine. Mine erupt a bit too, but luckily, minor damage.

Step 8: Put the tarts into the preheated oven, last rack.

Step 9: Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the custard caramelize a bit. During the baking time, if you see that your fillings are popping up like balloons. That?s totally normal.

Please resist your temptation to open the oven door while those precious are being baked, I highly insist. Egg custard is extremely sensitive with change in heat. Inconsistent temperature during baking causes the custard to ?explode? or crack on its surface.

Eating these tarts are like having a Fandango dance on your tongue. The buttery flavor of puff pastry combines with the soft, rich custard. Uhhmm. My limited vocabulary cannot fully explain this.

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